Diego Val Croons ‘Animal’ Into Cee Lo’s Heart on ‘The Voice’

Peru native Diego Val caught Cee Lo’s attention on ‘The Voice’ tonight (Sept. 24), when he performed his own unique rendition of ‘Animal’ by Neon Trees during his blind audition.

Cee Lo was grooving along to the song from the beginning and could barely contain his excitement once he turned around his chair and caught sight of the young singer, who certainly isn’t hard on the eyes. “I thought it was a great rendition,” Cee Lo remarked enthusiastically.

Although the other three judges failed to turn around, making Cee Lo his mentor by default, Christina Aguilera pointed out that Cee Lo might not get to keep him. She said, “I feel okay about this just because I know that there are some twists and turns in this season and I might be able to snatch you up later ... So we’ll just see how it goes.” Adam Levine then chimed in with, “I, too, could potentially snatch you up.”

The 25-year-old singer has faced his share of hardships in the past. When he was only 8 years old, he was diagnosed with Perthes disease, a condition that disintegrated his hipbone and prevented him from walking. As a result, Val was bedridden for more than a year and a half – but every cloud has a silver lining, and in those long months of isolation, he discovered his passion for music when his grandmother gave him his first guitar.

Val’s personal struggles have allowed him to develop a deep sense of compassion for others who are battling various illnesses. “What I experienced as a child was definitely something hard to deal with … I want to give back.” Now, he participates in a program called Musicians On Call, where he shares his gift with young children who have been hospitalized, including young cancer patients.

Val said, “When I was that boy, I had a dream … I’m fighting for it, you know?” From the looks of it, his hard work and dedication have certainly paid off.